confuse of the yrs to become a US citizen

[ailyn5phil 0]

Hi everyone....

I'm reading this forum since the very beginning of my visa journey. This forum helped ALOT...

Now, i'm already a Permenent Resident, [granted me 10 yrs] as i recalled, the Officer that interviewed me n my hubby told us that i CAN imediately apply for a citizenship. However, as i began to research all the facts and infos, i've read that some infos said that i can apply after 3 yrs, some said 5 yrs. Now, this confused me.

What is really true? Did the US immigrati9on changed their rules or what? I'm thinking of filing it next june 07. Pls any advice here. God bless

[PaulineA 1]

Hi everyone....

I'm reading this forum since the very beginning of my visa journey. This forum helped ALOT...

Now, i'm already a Permenent Resident, [granted me 10 yrs] as i recalled, the Officer that interviewed me n my hubby told us that i CAN imediately apply for a citizenship. However, as i began to research all the facts and infos, i've read that some infos said that i can apply after 3 yrs, some said 5 yrs. Now, this confused me.

What is really true? Did the US immigrati9on changed their rules or what? I'm thinking of filing it next june 07. Pls any advice here. God bless

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1k2visa-na...zation.html#8.1

Here is a link that you may find useful. You can apply after 3 years if you are married to a USC.

[YuAndDan 153]

3 if married to a US citizen, 5 if not married to a US citizen, also have no periods away from USA for more than 6 months, and a minimum number of months (30 if not married to a citizen, and 18 if you are the spouse of a US citizen) living in the USA.

It is all explained in this guide: http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf

[Marilyn. 340]

you can apply for citizenship 3 years after getting your initial green card, if you are married to a US citizen.....

[Lovetoteach 53]

I believe 3 years too if becoming a PR after a sucessfully self petitioning under VAWA

Edited July 12, 2007 by shona

[warlord 72]

Yes with the marriage based Green Card you can apply 3 years - 90 days (not 3 months). So 2yrs 275 days depending on leap years etc. You will not get your actualy citizenship until after the 3 years, but you can apply before...

[Ladylethal 12]

The 18 months needed to be living in US prior to applying for N-400 means no traveling outside the US AT ALL? Not even short visits to different countries?

[lucyrich 20]

The 18 months needed to be living in US prior to applying for N-400 means no traveling outside the US AT ALL? Not even short visits to different countries?

No, that's not what it means. The M-476, linked above, explains the details. The 18 month requirement isn't one that's going to trip up many. It means that you must have spent no more than half your time outside the US during the previous three years. In other words, you must have spent at least 18 months, or about 548 days, inside the US during the three year required period of continuous residence.

Since a 6-month period of absence will interrupt continuous residence, the only way you could have a three year period of continuous residence without also meeting the 18 month physical presence requirement is if you had lots of fairly short absences, interspersed with even shorter periods of presence within the US. For example, a continuous repeating cycle of three months outside the US, followed by one month inside the US would do it.